Doorkeeper



June 27, 1950 H. wlsslNGER 2,513,070

DOORKEEPER Original Filed Oct. 9, 1947 Patented June 27, 1950 ENT orrlceDOORKEEIER Harry Weissinger, Philadelphia, Pa.'

original application october 9, 1947, serial No.

Divided and this application Septeinber 10, 1948, Serial N0. 48,589

This invention relates to` door latches and more particularly to thatvariety of latch in which the door is held in a closed position underpressure.

The present application is a division of my parent application for aDoor keeper, led October 9, 1947, bearing Serial No.'7'78,'782.

Latches for refrigerators and cooling compartments should retain therefrigerator door closed in order to provide a tightfseal with the doorframe. Furthermore, it is highly desirable in van installation of thiskind that the latching device be constructed so that a predeterminedpressure is applied to the door yautomatically upon closing. Desirablefeatures of such a latch are that it be cheap and rugged inconstruction, protected from the entrance of dirt or other objects whichwould tend to interfere with the proper operation of the latch, and thatit be provided with means for adjusting the pressure with which the dooris held closed.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a latch construction inwhich the customary bifurcated latch finger element has a camlke portionresiliently controlled by a springloaded lever to cause a toggle or deadcenter snap action of the latch nger.

Another object of the invention is to provide a .spring-loaded latchhaving an enclosed case and a rugged torque spring for actuating thelatch finger.

A further object is to provide means flor adjusting the pressure exertedby the spring on the door through the latch finger.

Further objects will be "apparent from specification and drawings inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a top view, partially sectioned of a toggle-cam latchconstructed in accordance with the invention, showing the latch fingerin closed position;

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 showing the latch in open position;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the structure of Fig. 1 partly brokenaway;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along the line 4 4 of Fig.3;

Fig..5 is a sectional View taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a perspective of the spacer block; and

Fig. '7 is a perspective of the bifurcated latch member.

The invention comprises essentially a latch assembly having a pivotingbifurcated member adapted to progressively engage rst the inside, thenthe outside of a door when closing, and to the 4 claims. (ci. 292-78)kretain the door in a closed position under pressure of a torque springwhich operates on .the bifurcated member through a, lever mounted in thelatch body. A screw cooperating witha worm-wheel enables the springpressure to be adjusted from zero to more than 50 pounds per squareinch.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a preferred embodiment ofmy latch construction has a bifurcated latch member 2,0 pivotallymounted in latch case 2| by means of pin 22 and nuts, 23, 23. Latchmember '2 has a long pressure finger 24 adapted to contact a strike 25on door 25 when in the closed position as shown in Fig. 1. A shortfinger 26 on the latch member 2U, is positioned to be engaged by theinside edge of strike 25 when the door is closed to the position shownin Fig. 2. Further closing of the door pivots member 20 'about pin 22until the door is fully closed as shown in Fig. 1.

The hub 21 of member 20 abuts and extends the entire distance betweentop28 and Ibottom 29 of latch` case 2| but is undercut at 30, as shown inFig. 7, to provide an axial flat or step portion. A small roller 3ly ismounted on flat 30 by means of pin 32 and is adapted to contact leverarm 33 throughout the entire swing yo f arm 20 which, inthe preferredform is about 50.

Lever arm 33 is likewise pivotally mounted in upper case 28 and lowercase29 by means of stud 34 and nuts 35, 35 and isprovided with a lhub 36(Fig. 5) which abuts the hub 3l of wormwheel 3l likewise mounted on stud34. The hub 36 of lever arm 33, as well as the hub 31 of Wheel 31 formanl annular retaining recess for torque spring 38,' one end of whichextends through lever arm 33 at 39 (Fig. 2) f and the other end of whichis rigidly lmounted in wheel 3l at 40 (Fig. 3). Rotation of wheel 3l onstud 34 is controlled by meansvof adjusting screw 4| (Fig. 4) which,when turned, serves to increase or decrease the tension of spring 38` onlever arm 33 since spring 38 provides the only connection between thearm and the wheel.

Upper case 28, as well as lower case 29, are formed from a single pieceof sheet metal which is of U-shaped configuration as shown in Fig. 5.The front 42 of the latch however, is partially cut away to provideclearance for nger 24 as shown in Fig. 2 and plates 28 and 29 extendforwardly at 43 and 44 (Fig. 3) to provide locking ears having arcuateslots 45 which are in alignment with a hole 46 drilled in hub 21 oflatch 20. When the latch is in the closed position, las, shown in Fig.1, a standard bicycle lock 50 (not shown) 3 may be inserted throughslots 45 and hole 46.

The bases of plates 28 and 29 are bent, first at 90 and then at 180 asshown in Fig. 5 to form upper and lower bolting ilanges 5I and 52 forthe latch assembly. A butt joint 53 is thereby provided centrally alongthe inside base of the case and the edges of the joint are riveted tospacer 'block illniby izmeans of rivets '55, 55. Spacer "block 54 islongitudinally drilled vto form a guide for adjusting screw M as shownin Fig. 6 and is cut away at 56 to permit meshingof the adjusting screw4I with the worm wheelfSzl. Block 54 is also cut away at 51 (Fig. 6) toprovide clearance for rotation of arml33.

In operation, strike 25 .on door 25 contacts finger 26 of arm 20 whenthedoor is .closed,.thu-S causing the latch 20 to rotate on pin'22. Thisin turn displaces lever 33 upwardly as seen in Fig. 2, by means ofroller 3l and tendstowind rstrike 125:,to urge Vthe door to Ya Lfullyclosed potsitionunder the predetermined pressure of spring `38. When thedoor is opened, the reverse oper- .ation takes l,place and is such `thatwheniroller 31, :again Apasses dead center, lfinger 26 pushes f theldooropen, butin this case rthe limit offinger travel is reached whenthelever 33 contacts face 590i hub 21, thus retaining the `arm in theproper ipsitionifor receiving thevdoor when it is closed, ra'srshowndnfFig. 2.

- .The;latch assembly is dirt and dust-tight since :the end E0-of spacer'block v54 substantially lls l.the gap between hub 2'! of latch member'20 and the .base of the ilatch case, .whereas cover plate-20|, securedunder nuts 35, encloses'the opposite end ofthe 'latch case.

:It Nvill -be -apparent that ythe latch Idescribed `aboveris notonlyadapted for refrigerator doors, lfbuljrfmay be Yutilized toladvantage-on :any instal- ,lation where it isdesired to insure a-closepresfsrureltsuch as screendoors, hatches, andthe like. Where there isdanger that an individual may :be locked inside the door, for exampleAin large cooling rooms Aor refrigerator closets, a .modified formsoflock may be'employed.

*.l-Ieaving -thus .describedmy invention, I claim:

l. A .latch assembly comprisinga case, atbifurcated latch Lfingerpivoted in-said case, la lever `Yalso pivoted in said case, a stud onwhich said lever is mountedfay hub 'attached 4.to :the lever, .a

` worm wheelmounted on said stud in-axial rela- ,f

Ation to the lever hub, .a torque spring mounted onsaid:hub,one end ofsaid torque spring being securedto the lever'and the other end-being-se- ;cured'to the worm wheel, and anadjusting screw `mounted inthe case adapted to mesh with the worm lwheel and effect turning ofthe'wheel with respect'to I.the lever hub.

2. A spring-loaded latch assembly comprising a U-shaped case having feetformed integrally therewith, a bifurcated latch finger mounted in saidcase and having a hole drilled therein, a pair of ears on the casehaving holes adapted to register with the hole in the latch member, aroller on the latch finger, a lever pivoted in the case .and adaptedztoicontact ssai'd roller, alandgga torque springadjustably mounted :finthe case Y'for urging the lever against the roller.

3. A latch assembly comprising a latch case .formed from a unitary sheetmetal stamping, having an upper surface and a lower surface, a

`ifront-fedge 'joining said upper and lower surfaces,

a ,ange .extendingat right angles to said upper andlower surfaces and abase formed by a butt yjointofazthe edgesrof the case member, a spacerblock within the case and riveted adjacent the butt joint, a bifurcatedlatch linger rotatably mounted in said upper and lower case members,'.ailever.rotatablymounted in--sai'd upper and lower fcasemembersandadapted to contact said linger, a Worm :wheel :mounted axially withVrespect 'to said lever, a torque spring connecting saidfworm `Wheel.and .said lever, .and an adjusting screw :supported in .the 'spacerblock to .threadedly :en-

gage the wormwheel.

r4. A latch assembly ycomprising a latch case 'formed .from a "unitary:sheet rmetal stamping, having'rannpper surface and a -lower sufracezasf'ront.: edge joining-said .upper r.and lower surfaces, .a flangeextending at right langles Y,to `said .upper sand lower surfaces and abase formed by afbutt :joint ofthe :edges of the -case-member, .a spacerfblock .within the 'case Vand riveted adjacent .the butt joint, abifurcated latch yringer 'rotatably 'mounted in said upper Iand:lowercase members, aflever rotatably mounted in said upper and.lowercase :members v'and adapted `to contact said .fingerfa worm wheelmounted axially with frespect to said lever, aftorquerspring connecting.said Aworm wheel and 5'said lever, an adjusting screw'supported in thespacerfblock to threadedly .engage ithe -worm wheel, and a `cover forone endof thelcase.

Y HARRY WEISSINGER .REFERENCES CITED h v.'llhe.following references.fare-of .record Vin-'xthe file .of .this patent:

UNITED YSTATES .P A']IEI\T'1`S Number "Name l-Date Y 307,281 FarrarOct-28,1884 l820,962 AErb '-May 122, 1906 1,507,525 Stewart Sept.-2,=l924 '2,072,094 iBom'mer Mar.f2, 1937 .FOREIGN ePAzrENTs l NumberCountry Date` 375,434 vFrance July 9,"1'907

